TPG Contest: A Present For You, And For You
by rupzydaisy
Summary: Contest Entry. It's San D'Klauss Day, and Mulch turns up to give his present to Foaly. Only Foaly's not so convinced it's from the bottom of Mulch's heart, more like the back of a lorry...


**TPG Contest  
Characters: Foaly, Mulch and Holly.  
**

**So, people, I get bored, quickly. Came across the contest and I started thinking (uh oh), and then tah-dah...  
If you like review and if you really really like, please vote for me. It's on Kitsune Heart's profile. The voting begins on the 26th december. **

**If you liked my writing here, check out my other AF story; Time Paradoxes Come Back To Haunt You. It's AF + slight DW CO, (only slightly) and OC. But so much more AF it outweighs it all, and of course there's the crazy once-was-pixie-now-human Opal Koboi. but you could prob guess that from the title...  
**

**AF not mine, characters not mine, but plot, MINE!**

**:)  
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A Present For You, And One For You

Mulch handed over a small plastic box to a bemused looking Foaly.  
"That's nice Mulch." Foaly commented as he took it. He inspected the little box closely before pulling out a compact digital Mud Man gramophone. It was of vintage design, fitted neatly in the palm of your hand and played old Mud Man songs, like the Beetles, but using micro technology. It was meant to be a hit for holidays, save for a design flaw, but it was thought to be resolved.

Foaly smiled briefly, Mulch knew that he liked old technology, and the Beetles. And this gift had both. Foaly tilted it from side to side and tapping the deck, then poked the little needle.

"What are you doing?" Mulch asked frowning.

"Just checking to see if it's real." Foaly answered, smiling widely at the hairy dwarf.

"Ouch centaur, that hurts. You know I've seen the light. I don't do that sort of stuff anymore. You know how much that cost me?" Mulch quizzed defensively.

"Go on."  
"A lot of hard work and overtime. Having friends is costly."

Foaly placed the gramophone back into the box and looked at the sulking dwarf who wasn't looking at him. Instead he was peering at one of his bio-electrical plant experiments with feigned interest, ignoring Foaly studiously.

Mulch wasn't lying when he said that the present was from a lot of hard work and overtime, because it was. He had to get in touch with one of Doodah Day's old friends, a slippery fellow, and then haggle for it. The little goblin drove a hard barging, and they had spent over an hour of arguing over the price. And he had promised it was 'top quality stuff', though Mulch suspected that it was off the back of a lorry. Nevertheless, it was a present, and Mulch couldn't do with rushing out last minute to the high street. Too many people, too many unattended bags, too many pockets. It would have been like a child locked up in a sweetshop but told they couldn't eat any. Too tempting, and he was attempting to lose some of his kleptomaniac tendencies.

Foaly watched Mulch's back for a moment then realised that he might have hurt his short and smelly friend's feelings, if he had some under the pile of hair.  
"Mulch, I was only joking." Foaly said chuckling, feeling a little guilty.

"Just because I've got a bit of a shady past," Mulch said turning round. Foaly raised his eyebrows but didn't comment. "It's all you seem to remember. Mulch the criminal. Mulch the convict. Oh no, it's never Mulch, partner of a successful PI firm. You never remember that I'm digging on the good side of the law now." Mulch finished, dramatically scowling.

Foaly had had enough, "Yes, and we should give you a medal too. Mulch, I accept your present." Foaly said abruptly and the dwarf grinned a toothy grin.  
"A medal, you know, I think I deserve one, especially since I've helped save the world." Mulch grinned a little wider, "And I put up with you and your long lectures. Oh my critters are amazing, look at my awesome new suit and these wings!" Mulch tried to imitate Foaly but it sounded more like a gruff falsetto.

"If you don't want your present then I'll be happy to call up some custody officers, they can take you back to your old cell and you and the metal walls can have a reunion. I bet they've missed you. Hasn't it been the longest amount of time out of jail? Maybe you do need a medal." Foaly said sarcastically, cutting off the dwarf mid-impression.

"You got me a present?"

"Well Holly told me to." Foaly said causally while he pulled up some files on the screen and sent an email with a few flicks of his fingers. "But, if you're too busy then it doesn't matter. I'm sure that Max will like another present. One more to his obscenely large pile won't make much of a difference."

"Is it ice cream?" Mulch scoffed. The whole office knew about Foaly's nephew's ice cream addiction.

"No, here take it and leave. I'm busy and you're annoying me." Foaly said pulling out a small envelope from a toolbox which had fibre optic connecters spilling out.

"I wonder what's inside." Mulch asked dramatically, very slowly opening the flap and then pulling out a voucher.

"Right now, I'm regretting not buying a one way trip to Atlantis." Foaly muttered under his breath.

"Oh, thanks, horsey. All you-can-eat voucher for Les Voles. I love vole curry. And buffet. Especially all-you-can-eat ones." Mulch gushed sarcastically, but he still pocketed the piece of paper. "Well then, I best be off. Got a tip off that there's a lorry full of chilli being unloaded downtown."  
Foaly nodded and waved him out of his booth, locking the door firmly behind.

_One down, one to go_, Mulch thought as he walked out of the corridor and down another. He knocked twice on the door and then opened it.  
"You're supposed to be invited in." Holly told him off seriously, but still smiled as the dwarf looked back at the door and raised his eyebrows at her.

"Of course, but I figured you'd love to get your present as soon as possible." He told her, pulling out a small box, identical to Foaly's, from his pocket.

"Oh Mulch, you got me a present?" Holly asked, surprised her friend even remembered it was San d'Klauss Day. He didn't seem the present giving type.

Mulch frowned at the elf, "You know how much work I put into this?" He asked her defensively as she pulled out a small gramophone from the box...

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Two weeks later, Foaly's present began to smoke, and while a sprite ran for the fire extinguisher, it exploded with a deafening bang. All that was left was a small battered and scorched section of the box. Twenty four minutes later, the same happened to Holly's present. They hauled Mulch into the office and he received an earful from both of them, only to respond with one sentence.  
"But isn't it the thought that counts?" He questioned both of them calmly. The calmness evaporated when Holly pulled out her buzz baton and Mulch speedily retreated up the corridor and out of sight, away from the angry Major and the irate technician.

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**This was fun to write... but you know what's more fun? Reading reviews! Yep very subtle hint, but oh well, what else can I say? **


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